The Farr Side: The ongoing success of Pink

David T. Farr More Content Now

Thursday

May 9, 2019 at 11:15 AMMay 9, 2019 at 11:15 AM

Few artists can boast about the kind of success singer Pink has had. Next year marks the 20th anniversary of her debut album, “Can’t Take Me Home.” That might seem trivial to some, but if you think about all she has achieved since the flaming pink-haired siren hit with “There You Go,” you’ll understand why.

Pink has 36 charting singles, including four No. 1s, sold in excess of 42 million albums, received numerous industry awards and has toured extensively. The moment one of her songs comes on the radio, you instantly know its her, the sound is so distinct. Her success can be attributed to a number of things, mainly impeccable vocal skills. Couple that with cleverly written songs and a stylish image and you have magic.

Last week, Pink, now 39, released her eighth studio album, “Hurts 2B Human.” Eighth studio album? That’s insane by today’s standards. What’s cool is, her albums don’t suck. They’re just a continuation of her musical journey, loosely based on life experiences.

At first listen, “Hurts 2B Human,” covers all of what’s currently hot. It’s great pop, fantastic lyricism and spiked with some crossover appeal. It worked for Taylor Swift, Maren Morris and Kacey Musgraves, so leave it to Pink to flip it in reverse and catch some country flair. Why not? I think Pink and Kelly Clarkson are artists who could sing just about anything and come across as winners.

“Walk Me Home” is the lead-off single. It’s typical Pink, although there’s a sense she’s letting her guard down a little. Some of that tough-girl exterior she showed on earlier albums is giving way to a warmer-hearted Pink. That isn’t a bad thing. She’s a mom now and her music is striking a more universal chord. First-time listeners and longtime admirers will appreciate her authenticity even more.

In response to where she is now in music and life, Pink said this: “It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you look like or how much money you have, or what you do with your time. We’re all putting one foot in front of the other trying to figure it out. And, that’s what it is. That’s what poetry is, that’s what writing is, that’s what journaling is, that’s what songwriting is. This is my experience, and I’m sure somebody else is gonna be able to relate to it.”

“Hurts 2B Human” is filled with dance-friendly spars like “Can We Pretend” and ”(Hey Why) Miss You Sometime” and its fair share of guitar and piano-laden gems like “Happy,” “My Attic” and “Courage.”

As much as I like her stand-alone anthems, I Iove her in collaborative form just as much. This album boasts some spectacular duets, including the emotionally-charged title track with Khalid and the album’s shining moment for me, “Love Me Anyway” with country superstar Chris Stapleton. “Love Me Anyway” is a phenomenal track, which, I’m sure, will be the talk of Nashville for the next year.David T. Farr can be reached at farrboy@hotmail.com.

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